At a world premiere in Braunschweig, Germany, Bombardier Transportation launched the first high power inductive charging station for PRIMOVE electric buses together with the local transport operator Braunschweiger Verkehrs-AG. In the presence of Rainer Bomba, State Secretary in the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development, and Braunschweig’s Lord Mayor, Dr Gert Hoffmann, the PRIMOVE electric bus was charged in a real time demonstration via the world’s first inductive fast charging pad at Braunschweig main station.

From December this year, Braunschweiger Verkehrs-AG in partnership with Bombardier will change the service on the inner-city circular bus line M19 over to clean electric operation. Passenger service will initially commence with a 12 metre long electric solo bus. Shortly afterwards, 18 metre articulated e-buses from the manufacturer Solaris will follow. This is a significant event as it marks the first time that electric buses will replace conventional buses.

The electric buses will each be equipped with the wireless PRIMOVE fast charging system and the new PRIMOVE high power batteries. Bombardier is at the forefront of innovation and the world’s first inductive charging system with an output of 200 kW will be used in Braunschweig to charge electric buses.

To ensure safe operation, Bombardier is working closely with TÜV SÜD, the organisation that audited the PRIMOVE wayside infrastructure and approved the PRIMOVE electric bus demonstrated today for passenger operation on public roads. The latter was already successfully tested in April over a four-week period during passenger service in Mannheim, Germany.

As the world’s leading rail technology provider, Bombardier has a clear vision of the cities of tomorrow. The company imagines cities where all vehicles are electric, where mass transit vehicles do not alter the landscape but seamlessly integrate to provide quiet and emission-free urban mobility. With the PRIMOVE portfolio, Bombardier is smoothing the transition of transport providers and vehicle manufacturers to electric mobility for all electric vehicles – from trams and buses to commercial vehicles and cars. The commissioning of the first PRIMOVE fast charging station for electric buses in Braunschweig impressively demonstrates that this vision is no longer just a dream but is becoming a reality.

About the PRIMOVE pilot project in Braunschweig

Under the name “emil” (‘Elektromobilität mittels induktiver Ladung’, electric mobility via inductive charging), in addition to Braunschweiger Verkehrs-AG and Bombardier, the Braunschweig Technical University and the energy provider BS | Energy are involved as partners in the innovative project in Braunschweig. The project is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development.

The electric buses from the manufacturer Solaris are fully charged overnight in the bus depot. Recharging the batteries during a 10 minute stop at the terminus is sufficient to provide smooth operation of the 12 metre solo e-bus over the 12 km route. The 18 metre articulated e-buses require more energy and will therefore be additionally charged for a few seconds at two intermediate bus stops. This customised charging concept ensures maximum service life of the batteries and uninterrupted operation on the existing bus route with a clean e-mobility solution.

The PRIMOVE system will remain invisible to passengers. The PRIMOVE high power charging pad is cast in concrete and installed beneath the surface of the road. Even the wayside electrical installation is integrated underground at the bus stops. The cooling units for those power electronics have been cleverly integrated into an advertising pillar at the Braunschweig central station and into the bus stop.

Other PRIMOVE projects

Bombardier is also currently working on the implementation of the PRIMOVE system for electric buses in Mannheim and Berlin, Germany, and in the city of Bruges in Belgium. Trams are being equipped with the light, long-life PRIMOVE batteries for the booming Chinese metropolis of Nanjing.

About Bombardier Transportation

Bombardier Transportation, a global leader in rail technology, offers the broadest portfolio in the rail industry and delivers innovative products and services that set new standards in sustainable mobility. BOMBARDIERECO4 technologies – built on the four cornerstones of energy, efficiency, economy and ecology – conserve energy, protect the environment and help to improve total train performance for operators and passengers. Bombardier Transportation is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, and has a very diverse customer base with products or services in more than 60 countries. It has an installed base of over 100,000 vehicles worldwide.

About Bombardier

Bombardier is the world’s only manufacturer of both planes and trains. Looking far ahead while delivering today, Bombardier is evolving mobility worldwide by answering the call for more efficient, sustainable and enjoyable transportation everywhere. Our vehicles, services and, most of all, our employees are what make us a global leader in transportation.

Bombardier is headquartered in Montréal, Canada. Our shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD) and we are listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America Indexes. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, we posted revenues of $16.8 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.